Nigeria’s long-delayed Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway could be transformed into a revenue-generating digital infrastructure corridor through the deployment of AI-powered, solar-powered streetlights. A proposal led by British greentech firm Conflow Power Group, in partnership with Nigerian infrastructure company Mora Energy, aims to address the project’s persistent funding challenges by integrating thousands of intelligent iLamp units along the 700km route.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, first proposed in the 1970s, is designed to connect nine coastal states and support trade, tourism and regional economic development. Despite its strategic importance, progress has been repeatedly hindered by funding shortfalls, political change and economic volatility. Although construction resumed in 2024, only US$747 million has been secured against an estimated total cost of US$11–12.5 billion, leaving a funding gap of more than US$10 billion.
Financing model
The iLamp proposal introduces a digital construction and infrastructure financing model that combines renewable energy, smart infrastructure and artificial intelligence computing. Each iLamp is a solar-powered streetlight that operates independently of the national grid and incorporates Nvidia AI processors. These processors allow the units to function as nodes in a distributed AI data centre, providing computing power to global AI providers.
Monetised AI processing capacity
Through a partnership with British firm AI Factories Limited, the AI processing capacity within each iLamp can be monetised. AI providers, including large-scale generative AI platforms, pay for access to distributed computing resources. According to the project partners, each iLamp could generate up to US$4,500 per year in AI processing revenue.
If deployed across the full highway corridor, approximately 28,000 iLamps could generate an estimated US$1.26 billion annually. This would allow revenue generation to begin as soon as completed sections of the road become operational, reducing reliance on tolling, public funding and traditional debt financing. For large-scale transport infrastructure projects in emerging markets, this represents a shift towards self-financing digital infrastructure.
Beyond revenue generation
Beyond revenue generation, the smart streetlights would deliver multiple operational benefits aligned with digital construction and smart city strategies. The iLamps provide high-efficiency LED lighting, surveillance cameras, vehicle recognition, emergency response systems, public connectivity and environmental monitoring. All functions are powered entirely by solar energy, resulting in low operational costs and reduced carbon impact.
The proposal would also establish one of Africa’s largest distributed AI computing networks. Processing AI workloads locally, rather than overseas, could support Nigeria’s growing technology sector, strengthen digital sovereignty and position the country as a regional hub for AI infrastructure and data services.
Addressing infrastructure finance
According to Mora Energy, discussions with Nigerian government stakeholders have highlighted the appeal of a solution that addresses infrastructure finance, security, communications and technology deployment simultaneously. By embedding AI infrastructure directly into transport assets, the project reflects a broader trend in digital construction towards multi-functional, data-enabled infrastructure.
As talks continue between iLamp Africa, Mora Energy and the Nigerian Government, the Lagos, Calabar Coastal Highway could become a case study in how AI-powered renewable infrastructure can unlock stalled mega-projects. For the digital construction sector, it demonstrates how smart infrastructure, distributed computing and innovative financing models can reshape the economics of large-scale transport developments while supporting long-term national growth.
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